Some of the most popular Latvian foods around the world are those prepared and enjoyed at Christmas. During this festive season, Latvians in every corner of the globe – from Riga to Chicago, from Costa Rica to New Zealand – bake and savor both pīrāgi and piparkūkas. These warm, comforting little pastries filled with bacon, along with the fragrant, spiced gingerbread cookies, help create a sense of home and belonging even far away from Latvia. As families prepare them together, conversations flow, stories and memories are shared, and the beautiful moments of togetherness that connect generations come alive. The aroma of pīrāgi and gingerbread fills homes with a feeling of celebration and warmth.
In many diaspora communities, piparkūkas and pīrāgi can not only be bought as homemade treats but even ordered by mail. Often, hundreds of pastries are baked in group efforts at Latvian schools or community organizations to raise funds for local activities and to bring a touch of Latvian Christmas spirit to countless Latvian homes around the world.